Temporary enclosure



H. STERN Feb. 8, 1966 TEMPORA RY ENCLOS URlu' Filed Nov. 30, 1961 United States Patent O 3,233,617 TEMIORARY EN CLGSURE Harry Stern, New York, NX., assigner fo Morton M. Rosenfeld, Mt. Vernon, NX. Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,991 1 Claim. (Cl. 13S-1) This invention relates to a temporary enclosure, and more particularly, to a temporary enclosure which may be readily assembled and disassembled in an expeditious manner.

The present invention is directed to a` temporary enclosure which is adapted to be utilized by men working outdoors during inclement or cold weather. 'The temporary enclosure will protect workmen who are excavating while at the lsame time provides a means for isolating and thawing a portion of frozen land so that it may be more readily excavated. The enclosure includes a rigid skeleton framework comprised of a plurality of interconnected support members and a covering which may `be a flexible member such as canvas, plastic, etc. Alternatively, the covering may be a plurality of interconnectible panels.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel temporary enclosure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a temporary enclosure which is capable of protecting workmen from the elements while at the same time facilitates the thawing of frozen land.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a 4temporary enclosure which facilitates excavation of land during inclement weather and the winter months.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a temporary enclosure capable of being readily assembled and disassembled in an expeditious manner.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a temporary enclosure which is adapted to be anchored to the ground or other supporting surface.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the enclosure of the present invention with a portion of the covering brolfen away for purposes of clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2 2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a View taken along the lines 3-3 in FIGUREI.

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective View illustrating the manner in which intersecting support members are clamped together.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE l a temporary enclosure designated generally as It).

The temporary enclosure 1t) includes a pair of spaced parallel side plank base members 12 and 14. A pair of end plank base members 16 and 1S extend across the free ends of the members 12 and 14. The members 12-15 are flat planar members and may be made from wood or the like. The members 12-18 are anchored to the ground or other supporting surface by means of a plurality of spikes 20 yextending therethrough at spaced points therealong.

A plurality of upright support members 22 are maintained in an upright position on the members 1248 at spaced points therealong. The members 22 are of the same length. One end of each member 22 1s threadedly ecured to a flanged base 23. Each flanged base 23 1s ice secured to one of the members 12-18 by means of screws or the like. A lower horizontal support member 24 ex tends across each member 22 at a point substantially equi-` distant from its ends. A U-shaped clamp 26 having latch means extending across its free ends removably interconnects the members 22 and 24 at each point where they overlap each other.

Two upright support members 22 supported by the members 16 are not interconnected by a horizontal support member 24 thereby providing a doorway 28. An upper horizonal support imember extends across the free ends of the members 22 and is secured thereto by` means of clamps 26. The upper horizontal support member 25 supports a roof skeleton.

The roof skeleton includes a pair of spaced parallel roof beams 30 extending in a direction substantially parallel tothe members 12 .and 14. The beams 30 are maintained in their illustrated disposition by means of angularly-upwardly extending struts 32 and vertical parallel upright struts 34. T-he struts 32 and 34 extend between the beams 30 and the upper horizontal support member 25. A center roof beam 36 is disposed between` the beams 3d and extends in a direction substantially parallel thereto. The beam 36 is maintained in its il-l lustrative disposition by means of angularly upwardly extending side struts 38 and end struts 40. The side struts 38 extend from the beams 30 to the beam 36. The end struts 40 extend from the beam 36 to the horizontal support member 25.

A covering 42 is'then disposed over the thusly formed The covering 42 may be a flexible covering4 skeleton. made from canvas, plastic, etc. Alternatively,`the =covering 42 may be made from interconnectable panels. In order to thaw frozen ground disposed below the enclosure 10, a heater 44 having a blower thereon is disposed within the doorway 28. The introduction and circulation of heated air within the enclosure 10 enables workmen to perform their function with greater dexterity and assists in thawing the ground so that excavations may be made during the winter months. All overlapping joints between support members, struts, and beams are lmaintained in assembled disposition by a quick vacting clamp. The lowermost edge of the covering 42 is removably fastened to the plank members 12-18. Accordingly, the enclosure 10 will provide adequate protection for the Workmen therewithin during inclement Weather. Since the plank members 12-18 are anchored to the ground or other supporting surface, and Isince the covering 42 is fastened to the members 12-18 along the lower edge thereof, the enclosure 10 will accomplish its function without being affected by strong winds.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be .made to 'the appended claim, rather than [to the foregoing specication as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A temporary enclosure comprising a plurality of straight plank base members defining the outer perimeter of a rectangular base for said enclosure, said plank base members having a flat upper surface, at least three vertical parallel upright supports mounted on each of said plank members, means removably securing said upright supports to their respective plank members at spaced points along said plank member upper surfaces, two sets of horizontal members, the rst set of horizontal members being intermediate the second set of horizontal members and the plank base members, said rst horizontal members extending for the full length of only three of the four sides of said enclosure, said second set of horizontal members extending by first and second opposed pairs for the full length of each of the sides of said enclosure, both said rst and second set comprising horizontal members parallel to the base members, with said rst set of horizontal members being equidi'stant the ends of said upright supports, U-shaped clamp means releaslably interconnecting said horizontal support members with said upright supports, the horizontal members forming the second lset extending across each of the sets of the three upright supports adjacent the free ends thereof, U-shaped clamps releasably interconnecting said second horizontal support members to said upright members, a roof skeleton, said roof skeleton including a pair of spaced parallel roof beams extending in a direction substantially parallel to two of the base plank members, Vertical parallel upright struts each having one end clamp to one of the rst opposed pair of said second horizontal members and the other end clamped adjacent the free end of one of said parallel roof lbeams, a plurality of angularly upwardly extending struts each having one end clamped to one of the second opposed pair of said second horizontal members and the other end clamped to one of said parallel roof beams at spaced apart points, at least one of said angularly extending struts being clamped adjacent each end of said parallel roof beams, whereby said end clamped angularly extending struts and said upright struts form a triangular supporting structure with said first opposed pair of horizontal members, a center roof beam disposed between, parallel to, and above said parallel roof beams, whereby said end clamped angularly extending struts and said upright struts form a triangular supporting structure with said rst opposed pair of horizontal members, a center roof bea-m disposed between, parallel to, and above said parallel roof beams, end struts supporting said center roof beam, said end struts each having one end clamped to one of the first opposed pair of said second horizontal members and the other end clamped to said center roof beam adjacent the end thereof, angularly upwardly extending side struts each having one end clamped to a parallel roof beam at spaced apart points thereon and the other end clamped to said ycenter roof beam, means for clamping said vertical upright struts, said angularly upwardly extending struts, said end struts, and said side struts comprising a releasable U-shaped clamp, said upright supports, rst and second unitary horizontal members, parallel and center roof beams, vertical parallel upright and end struts, angularly upward extending struts and angularly lupward extending side struts all being Various lengths of tubing having a cornmon outside diameter, said various lengths traversing and engaging each other at a tangent to said common diameter to form a junction cross, said U-shaped clamp means being removably connected around a diagonal of said junction tcross, and an imperforate means juxtaposed to the skeleton formed by said roof skeleton, said upright supports, and each said horizontal support member, said imperforate means being a sheet of flexible conforming material having its lower edge secured to said plank base members upper surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,732 10/1893 Schneidler 52--92 720,344 2/1903 Hagedorn 135 3 732,787 7/ 1903 Schneidler 52-92 1,633,820 6/1927 Long et al 13S-3 1,683,022 9/1928 Bulbeck 52-489 2,711,180 6/1955 Sims et al 13S-3 JOEL REZNEK, Examiner. 

